Sta.sh
"...To give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others..."
Internet definitely giving us freedom of speech. A kind of freedom that makes possible for us to hide behind the monitor and keyboard and say everything comes to our minds. The things that you probably never able to say someone actually standing in front of you. That's why I support putting your real photo as your avatar but that's another debate but think about this for a while...
Who are you? What are you doing? Why you are here?...
I've discovered that big questions like these always need inspiring answers. For example: "I am here to help others to improve themselves in a particular form of art." - isn't that beautiful? Isn't that sounds nice and gives you a motivation. Would you like to answer that question like this?: "I'm here to make the life miserable of people who are not in the same track with me! I'll kick their asses to hell!!!" - wow it is worse than a cheap violence movie.
Have you ever had chance to talk with one of those brilliant 3D artists working in VFX industry? Such as Eric Hanson, Alex Alvarez, Jeremy Engleman, Martin Krol or Jeremy Vickery? They worked and keep working on the projects so huge that you can't even imagine. Did you know that Eric Hanson modeled the Manhattan and most of the New York City for a blockbuster Hollywood production?... I treasured enough to contact with these people and you have NO IDEA how down earth, humble, friendly and helping they are. Their knowledge is beyond reason... And they are always ready to share, help and let you grow. Jeremy Vickery is already on deviantart so you can visit his page and see yourself how cool that guy is.
They know a lot. They have tons of experiences and that's why they also know there's still lot to learn.
Alright then, what's with the other 3D Modelers out there who feel a need to "attack" people who using DAZ/Poser for their artwork?...
There's an old saying "empty can rattles the most"
But when you fill yourself with knowledge you'll never need to criticize others, or force them to follow the same path with you or any other ego based intention. Because you'll know each one of us are free to choose our own way to express our inner feelings and inspirations from the divine in form of art. With the tools fit best to our needs... and each one of us are on a different level of knowledge and learning more step by step.
Not everyone have to draw. Not everyone have to sculpt or paint or write. Some of us prefer to draw, some others prefer to sculpt... We choose the tools to create our art based on our own experiences, feelings, inner guidance, inspiration from the divine.
No one has the right to judge that.
"Judge not, that you be not judged" - Abraham Lincoln
What makes me sad and upset, some of the 3D Modelers - not all of them of course - doing a lot of destructive criticism to the people who using Daz Studio and Poser. Lets talk about this for a moment:
"I've had a few run-ins with 3d modelers who say otherwise and think they're God and they're the only ones that create since they 'start from the beginning'..." - *jamminwolfie
Are we start from the beginning? But there are primitives already placed on 3D programs and we usually start with manipulating primitives.
Drawing curves? There are curve drawing and editing tools. There's a whole 3D software we start from... If we literally start from the beginning shouldn't we write our own 3D software first? Is that the very beginning?...
No, because we need a compiler written by someone else to write our 3D program, like C+. So if we start very beginning we need to learn Assembler Coding to write our programming language to write our 3D program... Is that literally start from scratch?
Not yet; Because we need a computer to do that and that computer we will use designed and manufactured by someone else. So if as 3d modeler we start from scratch literally we also need to manufacture a computer by our selves, then write a compiler to write our 3d software within and then we need to write our own 3d software and now we can start from scratch maybe?...
What these people claiming goes until this: "You are drawing with pen and paper, but you are not creating from scratch because pen and paper are already created by someone else..." Same mentality can be applied to any form of art.
I'd like to let those kind of attacker 3d modelers remember this: Most of the traditional artists and photographers believe that computer is doing everything for you and your 3d modeling from scratch means nothing to them...
Problem here is none of us start from scratch. Only The Creator does that. Because there's only one God almighty. We are just primitive carbon based organisms who trying to imitate God's beauty. That's all. Sculptors, painters, photographers, 3d artists, musicians - all of us.
Either a beautiful artwork, a successful life or relationship, a musical piece or a brilliant sculpture or a 3D render - all are possible because God already created all of them because he has no boundaries of space and time like we do because he created time and space also... All we are "creating" are already created. Hard concept to get I know, but it is fascinating.
So personally as a human being, to me modesty and being a down earth person is important. That's what I'm trying to be. Claiming him/her self as God just because known to manipulate shapes in a 3D software is nothing but pathetic.
"I was assaulted this evening by a couple of people who were attacking my picture I'd been really happy with because it was "a shitty picture badly made with all stock images" due to being made in Daz Studio..." - !unforgiven3D
I am a 3D Modeler myself. I came from a Bryce/Poser background. Now using Maya & Zbrush mainly. But I know how some of you feel when you see a Poser render. As a 3D Modeler you have to learn a ton of stuff and apply that knowledge correctly just to create a human base figure! And on Poser it's like snapping a finger and they get credit right?
Did you ever think that people who using Poser are doing 3d for just a hobby and Poser might be the only software they can afford? Did you asked yourself why DAZ, Blender and Gimp is free? Not everyone have to become a 3D or digital art professional. It requires time, training, education, applied knowledge, experience, and lots of money for hardware and COPYRIGHTED software applications (like $3000-3500 for one software).
Let me remind you this again; most of these people using DAZ/Poser are doing 3D for hobby (there are people doing professional work with Poser but that's also another debate). But as a 3D Modeler you need to do this to earn your life if you want this as your profession so you HAVE to learn more, you HAVE to work harder than others, you HAVE to spend MORE TIME on ONE THING while others going out with chicks and NO you HAVE NO RIGHT TO COMPLAIN or ATTACK to others. Because that's how it works.
And remember; no matter how good you are on 3d modeling, if you don't have decent personality you'll really hard time to get along in a creative team on your future job. And probably you'll end up getting fired. These from the personal experiences... If you don't know how to talk, how to give constructive critique, how to share your knowledge without sounding like a total geek or know-it-all snob you'll have HARD time on a big game design studio or a VFX team NO MATTER how good you are on your 3D work.
Try to be a decent person first... Work on your behaviours like you working on your 3D models. Shape it nice and decent, friendly and helping. Do not judge people... Do not make fun with the art that other people created. Or Karma probably will kick your ass.
If you want to become a loner who only know making 3d models and sitting on your room with pouty face then I can't help you. No one can.
But if you want to change your life you have to change your life... Sounds like a play on words right? But it's not.
My favorite author Napoleon Hill lists the following steps to inspire and get along with others:
* Go out of your way when to speak a kind word or render some useful service where it is not expected.
* Modify your voice to convey a feeling of warmth and friendship to those you address.
* Direct your conversation to subjects of greatest interest to your listeners. Talk 'with' them rather than 'to' them. Consider the persons with whom you're conversing as the most interesting in the world, at least at that moment.
* Soften your expression frequently with a smile as you speak.
* Never, under any circumstances, use profanity or of obscenity.
* Keep your religious and political views to yourself.
* Never ask a favor of anyone you haven't yourself helped at some time.
* Be a good listener. Inspire others to speak freely.
* Remember that an ounce of optimism is worth a ton of pessimism.
* Close each day with this prayer: 'I ask not more blessings, but more wisdom with which to make better use of the blessings I now possess. And give me, please, more understanding that I may occupy more space in the hearts of my fellow humans by rendering more service tomorrow than I have rendered today'
Right now I'll close the article here and I recommend you to read this one above everyday. Because being a good 3D artist not just about learning and applying technical stuff. We are not robots, we are not separate beings from universe or other people. Think before react... Pause, breathe, think clearly then RESPONSE rather than react.
And...
Promise Yourself
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature you meet.
To give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud word, but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side, so long as you are true to the best that is in you.
Christian D. Larson - "The Optimist Creed"
Internet definitely giving us freedom of speech. A kind of freedom that makes possible for us to hide behind the monitor and keyboard and say everything comes to our minds. The things that you probably never able to say someone actually standing in front of you. That's why I support putting your real photo as your avatar but that's another debate but think about this for a while...
Who are you? What are you doing? Why you are here?...
I've discovered that big questions like these always need inspiring answers. For example: "I am here to help others to improve themselves in a particular form of art." - isn't that beautiful? Isn't that sounds nice and gives you a motivation. Would you like to answer that question like this?: "I'm here to make the life miserable of people who are not in the same track with me! I'll kick their asses to hell!!!" - wow it is worse than a cheap violence movie.
Have you ever had chance to talk with one of those brilliant 3D artists working in VFX industry? Such as Eric Hanson, Alex Alvarez, Jeremy Engleman, Martin Krol or Jeremy Vickery? They worked and keep working on the projects so huge that you can't even imagine. Did you know that Eric Hanson modeled the Manhattan and most of the New York City for a blockbuster Hollywood production?... I treasured enough to contact with these people and you have NO IDEA how down earth, humble, friendly and helping they are. Their knowledge is beyond reason... And they are always ready to share, help and let you grow. Jeremy Vickery is already on deviantart so you can visit his page and see yourself how cool that guy is.
They know a lot. They have tons of experiences and that's why they also know there's still lot to learn.
Alright then, what's with the other 3D Modelers out there who feel a need to "attack" people who using DAZ/Poser for their artwork?...
There's an old saying "empty can rattles the most"
But when you fill yourself with knowledge you'll never need to criticize others, or force them to follow the same path with you or any other ego based intention. Because you'll know each one of us are free to choose our own way to express our inner feelings and inspirations from the divine in form of art. With the tools fit best to our needs... and each one of us are on a different level of knowledge and learning more step by step.
Not everyone have to draw. Not everyone have to sculpt or paint or write. Some of us prefer to draw, some others prefer to sculpt... We choose the tools to create our art based on our own experiences, feelings, inner guidance, inspiration from the divine.
No one has the right to judge that.
"Judge not, that you be not judged" - Abraham Lincoln
What makes me sad and upset, some of the 3D Modelers - not all of them of course - doing a lot of destructive criticism to the people who using Daz Studio and Poser. Lets talk about this for a moment:
"I've had a few run-ins with 3d modelers who say otherwise and think they're God and they're the only ones that create since they 'start from the beginning'..." - *jamminwolfie
Are we start from the beginning? But there are primitives already placed on 3D programs and we usually start with manipulating primitives.
Drawing curves? There are curve drawing and editing tools. There's a whole 3D software we start from... If we literally start from the beginning shouldn't we write our own 3D software first? Is that the very beginning?...
No, because we need a compiler written by someone else to write our 3D program, like C+. So if we start very beginning we need to learn Assembler Coding to write our programming language to write our 3D program... Is that literally start from scratch?
Not yet; Because we need a computer to do that and that computer we will use designed and manufactured by someone else. So if as 3d modeler we start from scratch literally we also need to manufacture a computer by our selves, then write a compiler to write our 3d software within and then we need to write our own 3d software and now we can start from scratch maybe?...
What these people claiming goes until this: "You are drawing with pen and paper, but you are not creating from scratch because pen and paper are already created by someone else..." Same mentality can be applied to any form of art.
I'd like to let those kind of attacker 3d modelers remember this: Most of the traditional artists and photographers believe that computer is doing everything for you and your 3d modeling from scratch means nothing to them...
Problem here is none of us start from scratch. Only The Creator does that. Because there's only one God almighty. We are just primitive carbon based organisms who trying to imitate God's beauty. That's all. Sculptors, painters, photographers, 3d artists, musicians - all of us.
Either a beautiful artwork, a successful life or relationship, a musical piece or a brilliant sculpture or a 3D render - all are possible because God already created all of them because he has no boundaries of space and time like we do because he created time and space also... All we are "creating" are already created. Hard concept to get I know, but it is fascinating.
So personally as a human being, to me modesty and being a down earth person is important. That's what I'm trying to be. Claiming him/her self as God just because known to manipulate shapes in a 3D software is nothing but pathetic.
"I was assaulted this evening by a couple of people who were attacking my picture I'd been really happy with because it was "a shitty picture badly made with all stock images" due to being made in Daz Studio..." - !unforgiven3D
I am a 3D Modeler myself. I came from a Bryce/Poser background. Now using Maya & Zbrush mainly. But I know how some of you feel when you see a Poser render. As a 3D Modeler you have to learn a ton of stuff and apply that knowledge correctly just to create a human base figure! And on Poser it's like snapping a finger and they get credit right?
Did you ever think that people who using Poser are doing 3d for just a hobby and Poser might be the only software they can afford? Did you asked yourself why DAZ, Blender and Gimp is free? Not everyone have to become a 3D or digital art professional. It requires time, training, education, applied knowledge, experience, and lots of money for hardware and COPYRIGHTED software applications (like $3000-3500 for one software).
Let me remind you this again; most of these people using DAZ/Poser are doing 3D for hobby (there are people doing professional work with Poser but that's also another debate). But as a 3D Modeler you need to do this to earn your life if you want this as your profession so you HAVE to learn more, you HAVE to work harder than others, you HAVE to spend MORE TIME on ONE THING while others going out with chicks and NO you HAVE NO RIGHT TO COMPLAIN or ATTACK to others. Because that's how it works.
And remember; no matter how good you are on 3d modeling, if you don't have decent personality you'll really hard time to get along in a creative team on your future job. And probably you'll end up getting fired. These from the personal experiences... If you don't know how to talk, how to give constructive critique, how to share your knowledge without sounding like a total geek or know-it-all snob you'll have HARD time on a big game design studio or a VFX team NO MATTER how good you are on your 3D work.
Try to be a decent person first... Work on your behaviours like you working on your 3D models. Shape it nice and decent, friendly and helping. Do not judge people... Do not make fun with the art that other people created. Or Karma probably will kick your ass.
If you want to become a loner who only know making 3d models and sitting on your room with pouty face then I can't help you. No one can.
But if you want to change your life you have to change your life... Sounds like a play on words right? But it's not.
My favorite author Napoleon Hill lists the following steps to inspire and get along with others:
* Go out of your way when to speak a kind word or render some useful service where it is not expected.
* Modify your voice to convey a feeling of warmth and friendship to those you address.
* Direct your conversation to subjects of greatest interest to your listeners. Talk 'with' them rather than 'to' them. Consider the persons with whom you're conversing as the most interesting in the world, at least at that moment.
* Soften your expression frequently with a smile as you speak.
* Never, under any circumstances, use profanity or of obscenity.
* Keep your religious and political views to yourself.
* Never ask a favor of anyone you haven't yourself helped at some time.
* Be a good listener. Inspire others to speak freely.
* Remember that an ounce of optimism is worth a ton of pessimism.
* Close each day with this prayer: 'I ask not more blessings, but more wisdom with which to make better use of the blessings I now possess. And give me, please, more understanding that I may occupy more space in the hearts of my fellow humans by rendering more service tomorrow than I have rendered today'
Right now I'll close the article here and I recommend you to read this one above everyday. Because being a good 3D artist not just about learning and applying technical stuff. We are not robots, we are not separate beings from universe or other people. Think before react... Pause, breathe, think clearly then RESPONSE rather than react.
And...
Promise Yourself
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature you meet.
To give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud word, but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side, so long as you are true to the best that is in you.
Christian D. Larson - "The Optimist Creed"
While I may personally may like certain styles of art more then others I fully appreciate the skill and hard work that goes into the creation of any type of art.
For anyone to bash another artist because of the tools they use is just plain wrong IMO.
* Modify your voice to convey a feeling of warmth and friendship to those you address.
* Be a good listener. Inspire others to speak freely.
Thank you for this excellent advice.
As for the overall topic, and also to address a certain other poster that I am glad to not interact with: an artist is one who can bring what exists only in [mind/Spirit/Consciousness] (pick your favorite term) into reality. I would go so far as to say that an artist is also one who is driven to do so by that same [mind/Spirit/Consciousness], and that to discourage him is a direct attack against their most essential nature. A skilled artist is one who has the technical ability--in ANY form--to bring forth his vision. Some techniques require less skill, or different skill, but if the artist is achieving his vision, leave him the hell alone!
I'm a writer, and I've also played with a number of computer programs to create the things I want to create--game mods for Starsiege and other old-school games (programming, texturing, world design), Photoshop, Bryce, a bit of Vue and Poser, a few 3D programs internal to games, Starcraft 1 and 2 map editor, Unreal Tournament 2004 map editor which is more like modeling software, font design programs, Celestia (astronomy mapping/3D software) and probably a hundred other support programs. I don't consider myself particularly skilled at any of them, and I don't care. I pick the tool that'll lead to the desired end result and poke at it until my vision pops out.
I encourage any artist who knows what his purpose is to learn whatever he needs to learn to bring his vision forth, and be ready with the Finger Of Honor for any fool who tries to interfere. If you want to learn something, ask someone to teach you the specific thing you need and want to learn. If they can help, great, collaboration strengthens. If not, move on.
Another thing I'd like to mention. Maybe Kerem will write an article on it. Artists of all sorts are very often taken advantage of. Do not let anyone use or abuse your vision for their own desires. Share your work for those who can appreciate the vision, and withhold it from (or at least ignore) those who cannot.